


Chrysalism

by graveyards



Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Romance, Tentacles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-07 13:40:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17366897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graveyards/pseuds/graveyards
Summary: He was sweet, funny and gentle... everything you didn't deserve.Or was it they?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> looks like im venom trash now, oops. 
> 
> i've only seen the movie, so that's the only knowledge i have. i don't own any of the characters, only the obvious OCs i've had to create for the sake of the story. 
> 
> low-key a slow burn... 
> 
> i would've never expected my first fanfic to be this
> 
> enjoy

Exhaustion. That was the first thing you felt when the last customer finally left the shop and you locked the front door. It was almost dark outside. Those who walked by were trying to get home to finally have dinner after a long day. 

"If you wipe down the tables and bring the leftover pastries to the back, I'll let you go home early tonight," your boss said from behind the counter. She was counting the money from today's sales and doing some small administrative work. You smiled and quickly went to the back to grab a damp cloth and towel.

You finished wiping down the few tables and even cleaned the display case. There weren't many pastries leftover today, a piece of chocolate cake, some chocolate eclairs and a tray of 6 macarons were the only sweets left. You set them on the counter in the kitchen and grabbed some pastry boxes. 

You were aware of your boss' routine after work. She would always drop by Mrs Chen and leave her something when there were leftover pastries. Your boss was a kind woman, even letting you take home something too. 

You set everything in their own box. You decided on the eclairs tonight and walked over to the wall with four small lockers. You unlocked yours and set the box inside so you could take off your apron. You rummaged through your bag and found your phone. You had some messages, but your face didn't lit up when you noticed from who they were.

Ben 6:47 pm:

_Guys are coming over buy beer on your way home_

_bring some chips_

_no doritos_

You felt your stomach tighten at the demanding text. Ben was your boyfriend by label. You wanted to break up with him desperately, but where would you go with no money? Saving up to find a place of your own was difficult. And every time you managed to save up a decent amount of money, Ben would always come and ask for an amount that brought you close to nothing at the end of the month. He promised he would pay you back, but he never did. 

Your relationship with him was difficult. You weren't proud of it. You didn't _want_ it. 

But you had no way out, not any time soon anyway.

You stuffed your phone into your back pocket and pulled your jacket on. The denim material would keep you warm outside.

Your boss walked into the kitchen with some plates, her face showing her tiredness. 

You pulled your hair loose from its ponytail and raked your fingers through it. You eyed the boxes on the counter.

"I can bring Mrs Chen her cake if you want. I have to pick up some stuff anyway." 

Your boss' face lit up with relief. She thanked you and then you were on your way, bag over your shoulder and two boxes in hand. 

It was unusually cold tonight. 

You felt your phone buzz and took it out. Ben had sent another text, this time telling you to hurry your ass up. Irritation was starting to settle in your stomach. 

You were a few meters away from Chen's. People walked past you, nearly bumping into you and finally you were at the door. A man reached the door first, however, and opened it for you. You looked up and smiled thankfully at them. You didn't take in their full appearance, but their handsome face stood out to you and you tried to hide your blushing cheeks while you hurried inside. You didn't see their smug smirk.

Mrs Chen was behind the counter. She smiled when she noticed the boxes in your hands. 

"Hi Mrs Chen. I brought you some cake tonight. My boss couldn't make it." You looked up at Mrs Chen and felt the man from the door brush past you. They gave a short "Hi Mrs Chen" as well and proceeded to the candy aisles to your left. 

"Thank you, dear. Your boss, I keep forgetting her name, but she's such a kind woman. Do you need anything from the store?" 

"Yeah, I'll just quickly grab them."

You made your way to the coolers, but by doing so you passed the mystery man, who was still standing undecided in front of the chocolate bars. 

 _"We had Snickers the last time, why don't we try the Milky Way tonight?"_ you heard them whisper.

The "we" stood out, but you didn't pay any more attention when you opened the cooler and took out a 6 pack. The cans clicked against each other. Now for the chips. 

Your glanced at Mrs Chen, who had opened the box and was enjoying her cake. Mystery man was still trying to choose a chocolate bar. You grabbed a random bag of chips, some brand you didn't recognize, and headed for the counter. Mystery man came to stand a bit behind your left and waited for you to pay. Mrs Chen smiled another thank you and handed over the bag with the beer and chips. 

With the pastry box in one hand and the bag of groceries in the other, you finally left the store. 

You felt your phone buzz several times on your way home, no doubt it being a very impatient Ben. You decided to take a short cut through the back alleys you knew lead to your apartment complex. 

It was a lot darker though, and you had difficulty trying to not step into something nasty on the floor. The complex wasn't much further, but there was an uneasy feeling settling in the pits of your stomach. 

There were footsteps echoing faintly behind you.

 _Of course_ , you thought. Of course there were fucking footsteps. 

You tried your best to speed up, but the footsteps behind you were gaining on you as well. You were prepared to swing the bag with cans at their head.

Someone grabbed your arm and suddenly you were pushed against the wall, brutally. Your box of eclairs dropped to the floor with a thud. Your hand holding the cans of beer was restrained.

"Hello, little lady." The man pinning you against the wall was familiar, but you couldn't remember their name fast enough. His hair was greasy and slicked back and the smell that entered your nose was that of alcohol, tobacco and sweat. Your throat was closing up.

"Maybe you remember me? Marco? A friend of Ben's? I sure remember you though. Listen, little lady, not to be so harsh, but your boyfriend owes me some money. I'm sure you know what kind of business he's into, and know that if he doesn't pay me back, I'll find my own ways of getting repaid." Marco brought his grimy round face closer to yours.

That fucking asshole, you thought. But as angry as you were, all you could do is stare at him and tremble.

You knew exactly what illegal business Ben was part of, and you tried your best to stay out of it. You had hoped you would not get entangled in his problems, but unfortunately fate had other plans.

"So, dearest... how are you going to repay me?" He brought a hand to your cheek and caressed it. His smile held wicked intent. You let out a whimper and closed your eyes.

For a brief moment you felt Marco loosen his grip on your right hand, the one with the bag of heavy beer cans. Without a second of hesitation, you wrung out of his grip and swung the bag at his head.

There was a clang and a string of curse words. You had hit him on the side of his face. Marco was cradling it painfully. The look he gave you was murderous.

"You bitch!" He raised his hands to grab you. 

Black tendrils shot out from behind him, gripping his arms and wrists. 

 **"What have we here?"** Thatvoice. Growling and like an animalistic bass. Your insides twisted. The voice came from the figure behind Marco.

Large, black and almost slime-like. The figure was much taller than Marco. Bulging muscles moved under its taut black skin that had a slick sheen to it. You could see his muscles ripple under the faint streetlights.

A large grin spread across its features, showing off razor sharp teeth and a tongue that lolled out of its mouth. Two large white patches resembling eyes narrowed at the man who was turned to face it. 

 **"Do you know what we do with bad people like you?"** The _monster's_ tongue snaked around Marco's face, its grin growing wider. The man shook with fear. **"We eat them."**

Marco didn't have any time to scream when teeth sunk into his neck, tearing his head off. The blood splattered everywhere, some landing on your face. 

You didn't know how long you stood there frozen on the spot, but the buzzing in your back pocket brought you back to reality. The black entity or creature or monster or whatever, watched you. It was watching you. And you were staring back at it with utter horror.

God you hoped you hadn't pissed yourself. 

You swallowed whatever was stuck in your throat. You dared to glance at your would-be rapist on the floor. Yup, his head was still missing. Your eyes went back to those of _it._

Black tendrils made their way towards you but stopped before they touched you. Something was holding it back. You saw its eyes narrow. The tendrils retreated and instead found the box you dropped. 

It walked over to the box and grabbed it with its claws. You watched, again, with amazement as its hulking form approached you and handed over the box. But before you could take it, its form changed. 

The blackness retreated and suddenly you were face to face with the man who held open the door for you. 

Oh.

"Hi, sorry about that. I believe this is yours?" The man was almost shy. His scruffy face however, was still handsome.

But what the fuck was that thing? 

"Y-you're... What..." You stuttered. 

"Yeah, I sort of, well." he was stuttering too. 

"I'm Eddie, big guy is Venom - we're venom. It's kind of like a parasite situation — not really, but it's difficult to explain- he's kind of a secret too. Don't worry though, he's okay. Anyway, are you alright? You're not hurt are you? Do you live closeby? We can help you get home." 

There it was again; we. So he addresses himself as 'we'. 

You wanted to just say thank you and run home, but something told you to do otherwise. 

"I'm not far from here," you said. A smile crept onto Eddie's face. 

You both walked down the alley leading to a street with different houses and complexes. 

Eddie was quiet. You'd expected him to say something, but maybe he was a bit shaken up too? You knew you were, but somehow you hadn't lost your shit. 

And now your savior was walking you home. Weren't you supposed to be freaking out over him and his 'Venom' parasite?

No. Something in your head told you no. Your gut feeling was telling you 'no' too. And you should always follow your gut, right?

You stopped when you reached the front of your complex. Eddie had his hands in the pockets of his jacket and was looking at you nervously. It was quiet for a moment, and you suddenly felt much smaller beside him. 

"Thanks for saving me. And don't worry, your secret is safe with me." Eddie's face broke into a smile, which in turn made you smile. 

He was really cute. 

You gave him the box of eclairs. 

"They might be all smushed, but I don't know how else to thank you." He took the box, and for a second he closed his eyes, a cringe-like expression appearing for a split second. 

"We're happy to see you home safely. And uh..." he pointed to his head, "he's in there, he says no problem." 

"You mean, Venom can hear me?" Eddie nodded.

"Yeah, we're sort of... one now. I'm him, he's me. We're one person. He can talk to me in my head, vice-versa. He knows my thoughts. It's not as bad as it sounds." 

You giggled. And for a moment Eddie looked surprised at the little sound you made. He cracked a smirk.

"Didn't know I could get you laughing so easily." You gave him a sincere smile.

"Thank you, really." 

You waved him off with a smile still on your face. You watched his retreating form until you felt your phone buzz in your pocket. 

Reality was settling on you, and your heart sank. You were home. But if you were safe, you weren't so sure. 

Your feet felt heavy as you walked up the stairs to the apartment. You almost called it yours, but after your meeting with Eddie, something changed inside of you. More specifically, you decided on something.

You're going to leave Ben. It wasn't your apartment anymore. 

The second you opened the front door, your nose was filled with the smell of cigarettes and alcohol. You walked into the short hallway and closed the door behind you with a click.

"Babe?" A man called from inside the living room. There was laughter followed by it. You walked into the kitchen. It was a mess. Dirty plates were piled on the counter, and the glass was still smashed near the wall from when Ben had thrown it at your head yesterday. 

You wished the walk back had taken longer. 

Ben entered the kitchen. You could see by the look on his face that he was holding back his anger when you dropped the bag with his groceries on the kitchen isle. You heard the chips crunch. You were sure that they were all crushed from being flung at Marco's face. 

Should you tell him that Marco's dead? 

"What-," Ben lowered his voice to a menacing whisper, "what the fuck took you so long? Did you bring the beer?" He grabbed the bag and ripped it open. He counted six cans and picked up the bag of chips. He frowned when he read the brand.

"You didn't bring Doritos. Can't you even bring the right chips." He turned and left the kitchen, but you managed to hear him call you a worthless bitch under his breath. You sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter, your head was starting to throb.

"You said you didn't want fucking Doritos," you whispered to yourself. You took your bag to the bedroom and closed the door behind you. You heard a yelp from the living room, and realized that the cans must all be shaken up and ready to spray when opened. 

"Asshole," you muttered.


	2. Chapter 2

A few days had passed since the alley incident, and since then you haven't seen Eddie. You offered to bring Mrs Chen some pastries a few times after, in hopes of seeing your handsome savior, but disappointment was always the outcome.

You stayed at work longer as well, the situation at the apartment getting direr by the day. Ben had thrown a plate at your head after his guests had left. And last night he had grabbed you by the hair when you tried to walk out on him.

Eddie's smiling face came to your mind, and the mystery about not seeing him still irked you.

Maybe he doesn't go out much? You tried to think of reasons why you didn't see him around. He seems to know Mrs Chen, from the way you recall him greeting her. What kind of job would he have? 

You were lost in thought while wiping down the tables, when the front door opened, making the little bells at the top jingle. You were bent over slightly, your back towards the door, so you didn't notice who entered. Someone walked past you and you felt something touch your ankle. 

You glanced down to see a black tendril extended and _caressing_ the bare part of your ankle. You took a deep breath. Don't panic. But you couldn't help but feel your heart twinge slightly.

The tendril retreated back to its host. Your eyes followed it to Eddie standing at the counter looking up at the menu. His fingers were thrumming on the counter. 

Your heart leapt. Should you surprise him?

You watched him as you walked behind the counter. Eddie noticed you out of the corner of his eye and smirked. He stopped thrumming and leaned towards the display case with the various pastries of the day. 

"I figured, why not drop by and see what else you guys have. We really enjoyed those eclairs." You raised an eyebrow. "And well, someone wanted to see you again." 

"Really?" Was he talking about Venom? Did Venom want to see her again? Eddie let out a nervous laugh. 

"Okay, both of us wanted to see you again." 

It was your turn to laugh nervously. You tried to hide your blush, but by the way Eddie's smile widened you were sure he had noticed. Damn him.

"Well, I'm happy to see you again too. Now, what can I get you two?" You weren't sure if you had seen it correctly, but his chest seemed to have rippled underneath his shirt. 

"Uh... What kind of chocolate cake do you have today?" Eddie was inspecting the pastries on display, his eyes focusing on a particular good-looking cake with chocolate sauce and strawberries. You smiled and grabbed a small plate.

"We have the Devil's Cake today, it's really good. I'll give you a slice." You opened the back of the display and grabbed a slice with some tongs. 

The front door opened again and a string of customers entered. Your boss appeared from the back and patted you on the shoulder. You gave her a glance and noticed her give you a wink and a smile before helping the other customers.

Your face was sure to be beet red. 

"Uh," you looked back at Eddie who was now eyeing the coffee options on the menu. "Do you want some coffee with your cake?" Your finger hovered over the buttons on the register. 

"Yea, black please. I was wondering though..." You glanced up from the register as you punched in the order. "Are you on break any time soon? Or when do you get off work?" 

You looked up and tried to hide your surprise at his question. You decided to play smug.

"Oh, who's asking?" You looked at him thinking. He smirked.

"We are." You couldn't stop smiling. You secretly liked the way he always said 'we'. You looked at your watch.

"My break starts in ten minutes and I'm usually off at seven." You told him. He nodded and handed you the exact amount. You watched him take a seat while the next customer gave you their order.

Ten minutes had finally passed. You grabbed a coffee and sat down across from Eddie at a two-person table in the back corner. His coffeecup was empty, but his cake slice of untouched. He was scrolling through his phone and looked up when you sat down. He offered you his fork. 

"Want some?" 

"Did you seriously wait for me to get on break?" you asked.

"It was an agonizing ten minutes. It took me a lot to keep _him_ from sneaking a bite." You somehow felt guilty, so you quickly took a small bite and handed the fork over. 

"Eat up, I'm sure he'll like it." 

You two sat there for the entirety of your break, chatting away. He told you about his job, about his interests and his aspirations. He was funny and sweet. They had enjoyed the cake, he said, always referring to themselves as 'we'. 

"So what exactly _is_ Venom?" You had been curious about the black creature. Its face came to mind and you squirmed a bit in your seat. 

You felt something snake up your leg and rest on your thigh. Glancing down, you noticed the black tendril.

"He's a symbiote. He latched onto me and now I'm his host. It was pretty crazy in the beginning, but now I'm so used to it... you've noticed how I always say 'we'..." Eddie laughed nervously and leaned back in his seat. You cracked a smile.

God he was cute.

_Hot. He was also very hot._

The tendril on your leg was moving over your leg. It was ticklish and playful. But as the tendril was Venom's little way of showing his interest, Eddie showed his by every now and then touching your hand. Like now, resting his hand on yours and starting a new topic.

At the end of your break, your heart was a fluttery mess and you tried to get up as slowly as possible. Eddie got up as well, and discarded his empty cup. You grabbed the empty plate and waited for him to say something.

"We'll be around and uh... if you don't mind, we could walk you home? Unless you have to be somewhere right after." 

You smiled and shook your head.

"I'm going home after work." 

"Cool, so uh, 7 then? We'll wait for you outside." Eddie was smiling. You were smiling. 

Venom was also smiling, surely. 

You gave him a small wave and went to the back to wash up some of the dishes. Your boss's popped out from behind the door. She was giving you a knowing smile.

"Who's Mr Smiles?" You let out a laugh.

"That's Eddie, he's a..." Friend? Interest? Savior? "Friend." 

"Dear, I'd hook him." She gave you a wink. 

The remainder of your shift went by swiftly. Sure, your face was red the entire time and the butterflies in your stomach didn't seem to want to give you a break any time soon, but it went by swiftly. Soon enough, you were wiping down the last few tables when there was a knock on the store window. 

Eddie gave you a quick wave and a thumbs up. You gave him a thumbs up too and quickly gathered your stuff. You would've brought some leftover pastries, but today had been busy and you quickly sold out of all the display pastries. 

"Goodnight!" You said over your shoulder. You hurried to leave and hadn't even finished putting on your jacket as you exited the front door. Eddie gave you a smirk when he noticed your struggle to put on your jacket.

"How was the rest of your shift?" You finally managed to get your arm through the hole. 

"We sold out. Sorry I couldn't get you anything tonight." You looked up at Eddie. He was looking at you intently and raised his hand. He tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

You flinched.

It surprised him, and he must've his action sudden and wrong and quickly dropped his hand. He turned his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. 

It was a natural reaction. Your mind was racing to think of a way to tell him it wasn't his fault for your reaction. You tugged on his sleeve. Eddie glanced down at you. His expression softened when he saw your face. 

The walk home was filled with chatter. 

You started telling him about how you wished you lived in a more friendly neighborhood and on your own. You mentioning having a roommate made him ask you if they were that terrible to make you want to move out.

Your face fell. Right. He doesn't know about your living situation. Should you tell him about Ben? Would he understand it? 

As much as you liked Eddie, you didn't know how he would take that fact. 

To tell yourself the truth, there were things that made you wish you didn't feel this way about Ben. 

Once upon a time you two had been in love. Once upon a time you thought he was the one. But now... 

You were scared he might end up really hurting you, you realized. And if he found out about Eddie, he might go after his head. 

You're forgetting about Venom. Ben would probably be the one to end up headless.

Eddie noticed your inner turmoil and nudged you with his elbow. 

"Hey, what's up?" He asked you with a voice full of concern. You shook your head and tightened your grip on your bag. 

"It's nothing. I'm just tired." 

He didn't ask further about your roommate, and changed the topic to something that immediately cheered you up. You two were discussing a serious topic, in a heavy debate, when you reached your street. 

Your pace immediately slowed down. You didn't want the walk to end. 

Eddie noticed your sudden mood change and whipped out his dick phone. He handed it over.

"We would like your number, if that's alright." You stopped walking when you reached your complex. 

"I thought you'd never ask." He laughed and you made yourself a new contact in his phone.

"I'll text you later tonight? If you haven't fallen asleep, that is." You gave him a playful push against the shoulder. He hardly moved with his muscles firm under your palm.

"Falling asleep on your texts? Never." You both chuckled and soon you bid him a goodnight. This time, though, you made sure to quickly give him a peck on the cheek. You had to stand on your toes to reach his face. His smile was hard to miss. 

But walking inside and to the apartment you shared with Ben, your smile quickly fell. Ben was a situation you had to deal with as soon as possible.

You lay on the sofa an hour later, scrolling through your news feed, when a text from an unknown number appeared at the top of your screen. 

A smile spread across your lit up face, and you glanced around the room to make sure Ben wasn't around. He was asleep, you remembered. 

Eddie had sent you a ':)' and a 'thank you again for the cake'. You immediately replied and the two of you ended up texting until the early morning, when Eddie mentioned having a meeting with a contact over breakfast. 

It was the last time you let yourself get carried away with texting, but you agreed to let him walk you home again that night and after.


	3. Chapter 3

You had settled into a routine with Eddie. The weeks that passed he walked you home every night. He would often have lunch with you during your break and on Sundays he was always reachable via text while you did some chores around the apartment. As much as you disliked living there with Ben, you did try to keep it a sanitary environment.

You and Eddie grew closer and the more you saw him, the more you grew attached. He became a part of everyday life.

Venom started appearing as well, black tendrils growing out of his shoulder and forming his grinning face. He often joined in on the conversations, before grumbling about being hungry.

You told Eddie that you would be looking for a new apartment soon, because you were finally saving up enough for a decent place not too far from the pastry shop. You had found it via a friend.

You didn't want to deal with Ben before having found a place. You had slowly started gathering your stuff at home, but not making it noticeable. Today was the start of your week off, so you decided to do the apartment viewing this morning. You asked Eddie to come along with you, an invitation he certainly didn't decline. You two would meet up at the pastry shop.

Ben was rummaging through the cupboards when you got out of the bedroom, your hair still damp and wetting your T-shirt.

You ignored him as you made yourself some coffee and popped some bread in the toaster. Today was going to be the start of a good week, you told yourself.

"What are you so happy about?" Ben asked. His bitter mood was filling the kitchen, but you tried your best to keep your chirpy bubble big enough around you.

You shrugged.

Ben's frown deepened and he opened the fridge. He took out a beer and slammed the door closed. You watched him open the can and take a long swig. He let out a loud burp.

Part of you wanted to tell him off, but you knew better. He wanted a reaction out of you.

"I'm off this week, so I'll be running some personal errands." You didn't elaborate further.

Ben seemed to ponder your announcement. He took another swig and cleaned his mouth with his shirt sleeve. His beady eyes bore into yours.

You turned around when your toasted dinged.

"I don't want you out late." He stated. You scoffed.

"I can decide that for myself." You retorted.

You shouldn't have said that. You shouldn't have talked back.

Ben's hand was at the back of your neck in a second. He held his face close to yours. His breathing was heavy and you smelled the alcohol on him. His morning breath wasn't great either. You held your breath.

Ben was squeezing your neck. "Listen here, you little whore. I don't know what the fuck you're up to, but if I find out and I don't like it, you're going to fucking regret it. You hear me?"

You tried your best to focus on not shedding a tear as his nails dug into the skin on your neck. He shoved you and you caught yourself.

"I pay your rent, remember? So you better behave."

Ben left the kitchen with his beer in hand.

Your coffee was ready and your toast was already getting cold, but you had lost your appetite.

You balled your fists. A tear managed to slip down your cheek.

Ben didn't own you. Ben didn't fucking own you.

You drank the coffee as quickly as you could and gathered your stuff in a bag. You took a few bites of your toast and swung your bag over your shoulder.

Just a little longer. You had to hang in there just a little longer. Soon you won't have to deal with his shit anymore.

You left the apartment with hope building up again.

 

* * *

 

Eddie was already waiting outside when you arrived. He had a coffee in one hand and was scrolling through his phone with the other. He looked up and gave you that cheeky smirk of his.

"Mornin' sunshine," he raised his coffee, "want some?" You looked up at him and gave him a thankful smile. The coffee was still warm and felt much better going down your throat.

_Something else would probably feel great too down your throat._

You nearly spit out the coffee at that thought. You started coughing and handed the coffee back. Eddie gave you a quizzical look.

"You alright? The coffee isn't that hot right?" He brought the cup to his lips and tasted it. You wiped your mouth and shook your head, tears stinging your eyes from nearly choking.

"No- no I just took a wrong sip." You felt your face burn up. What the fuck were those thoughts? Since when did you think so thirsty of him?

"Well, let's start walking then. If it gets late we could stop for some lunch too," he put his phone away and gave you another warm smile, "our treat."

You chuckled and walked alongside him.

"Aren't I supposed to be the one treating you? We are looking for an apartment for _me_."

The walk to the new complex only took you 10 minutes. You followed the directions on your phone until you and Eddie were walking in a much calmer neighborhood.

"Huh, our place isn't too far from here." Eddie mentioned.

The building you stopped at was tall and painted grey. The windows were lined with white panels and on the left there was an emergency staircase.

The front door opened and a man in a suit approached you and Eddie. The man eyed you up and down before giving Eddie a once over as well. The man offered his hand. You shook it firmly.

"You're the young woman who's here to look at apartment 2-b right? My name is Samuel. And this is..." Samuel looked at Eddie.

"Eddie," you quickly said. You didn't want to give him a label because frankly, he wasn't just a friend. But he wasn't a boyfriend either.

 _Yet_.

"Eddie... Eddie Brock? The reporter?" Samuel's eyes widened. Eddie gave a nervous laugh.

"Uh, yeah. That's me." He had switched pronouns.

"You didn't come here to expose whatever dirty secret I have, right?" Samuel was grinning awkwardly.

"I hope not."

You glanced between the two men, unsure about the sudden tension growing between them. Samuel dropped his hand.

"Well, let's head inside. I'm sure you'll love the place." Samuel led you two inside. The apartment was on the second floor, facing the front. The layout was different to Ben's apartment. The front door opened to reveal a narrow hallway with three doors. 

The first door led to the open living room and kitchen. Light spilled through the massive living room windows, giving enough the place natural lighting. Basic furniture was already provided and kitchen utensils were stocked brand new. 

You walked through the living room and had a look of admiration on your face. You were still in disbelief. Samuel followed you with his clipboard. Eddie stood in the kitchen, inspecting the various utensils.

"This apartment is the latest to have been renovated, which is why everything is new. It's also the reason why the price is a bit on the higher side, but we offer a plan that best suits your paying needs." A smile was plastered on his face as he awaited your reaction.

"This is unbelievable." You said. Samuel chuckled. He motioned for you to follow him to the other rooms.

"There's one master bedroom with a bathroom and a separate toilet in the hallway for whenever you have guests. We've installed a large shower to replace the old bath, but I think you'd prefer the shower." The bedroom door opened to reveal the interior. A king sized bed with bedside tables on either side, a dresser and closet greeted you. Everything was given a light neutral color. There were two windows on the left wall and the wall behind you had a door that led to the bathroom. 

You couldn't believe it.

"Take your time to see the complete place. I'll be outside to make a small phone call." Samuel gave you another plastic smile and left. You exited the bedroom and went back to the living room. Eddie was admiring the large tv hanging on the wall. You walked over to the windows and looked outside.

This place could offer you a fresh start. Away from Ben, but close enough to your current job. Could you afford it? Samuel did mention something about special plans for paying. 

Should you take the leap? 

"What are you thinking about?" Eddie stopped to stand behind you, his warm breath tickling your neck. You made a humming sound and looked over your shoulder at him.

He was looking at you, his gaze sending tingles down your spine. 

"I like it, it's so much better than I have now. And I'll be away from Ben." 

Eddie cocked his head slightly and gave you a quizzical look. 

"Ben?" 

Right. You hadn't fully explained the situation yet. 

You sighed and turned around to face him. 

"He's my ex. Well... I haven't told him yet that I'm leaving him. I wanted to find a place first before breaking the news. He can get very..." You were having difficulty explaining, but Eddie caught on. To your surprise, he chuckled. You raised an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?" You asked. Eddie shook his head. 

"We were desperately hoping you didn't have a difficult ex-boyfriend, but here you are, confessing you do." Your eyes widened and you backed away, your back hitting a window.

Oh no. You had screwed up. You should've told him from the start. 

Eddie shook his head again. He grabbed your hands and gave them a quick squeeze. He stared down at you. 

"There's nothing wrong. We understand the situation." Eddie raised his hand and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. This time you didn't flinch. He realized that and a smirk appeared on his features. 

You suddenly realized how close you two were. His much larger body was nearly pressing against your smaller frame, the heat he gave off seeping through your clothes. You felt Eddie's hands rest on your hips. His face was closing in on yours.

You nearly squeaked when his mouth closed over yours. Your eyes fluttered shut and you leaned into the kiss. His mouth moved slowly over yours and you felt his hands tighten on your hips. 

 _This_ was really happening. The butterflies in your stomach were going crazy. 

You felt something snake up your shirt. It felt slick and warm and sending strange tingles down your spine. It was Venom joining in. 

You felt another tendril wrap around your waist and move down your leg. 

A sensation you had been trying to ignore every time those tendrils touched your body nearly pushed you over the edge right then and there, but instead of letting it take over, you let out a soft moan when the tendril tightened around your upper thigh. 

You felt Eddie chuckle, the vibration deep within his chest that was pressed against yours. 

After what seemed like forever, Eddie finally pulled away and pressed his forehead against yours.  You were watching him with wide eyes and a deep blush. Eddie had his eyes closed, his breathing was just as irregular as yours from the kiss. 

" **We would've liked more.** " A deep voice said. It came from Eddie, who started chuckling and tried to hide his face in his shoulder. 

"Maybe another time, big guy" you whispered and wrapped your arms around his neck. Eddie wrapped his arms around your waist. You attempted to ignore his excitement poking you through his jeans. 

"So?" He asked you after a moment. 

"I'm definitely taking it." 

You untangled from his embrace and grabbed his hand in yours. He gave it a squeeze and led you to the hallway. 

Samuel had just closed his call when you two walked into the outside hallway. 

"And?" he asked. You smiled and looked up at Eddie.

"I'll take it," you announced. Samuel seemed to be straining a smile. 

"Great! If you come by the office at the end of this week, you can sign the finished paperwork and receive your keys." 

And just like that, you and Eddie found yourselves outside of your new home, watching the cars roll by. 

Eddie looked down at his watch. 

"It's almost noon. Do you wanna have lunch at our place? We can cook some pasta." You looked up with a grin.

"You? Cooking for me? Oh how the roles have switched." Eddie bumped your shoulder lightly, knowing fully well that he could easily bump you down the street if he wasn't careful. 

"Anything for the lady," he gave you a wink. 

Your cheeks burned up and you happily accepted his offer. 

It turns out he didn't live that far from your new place. The walk only took about fifteen minutes. His apartment was on the other side of the pastry shop. He held the door open for you and you walked in.

His place wasn't big, but it wasn't tiny either. It had a certain charm to it. You noticed the various chocolate wrappers piled in the bin on the floor and recalled Venom's affinity with chocolate. You made sure to make a mental note for next time you come over: bring some chocolate for the big guy. 

"Make yourself at home," Eddie said over his shoulder. He took out a large pot and poured some water in. You decided to help him prepare lunch. 

You found a can of tomato paste and a pack of ground beef in the fridge. Eddie set the pasta to cook and prepared a pan for the sauce. A few minutes later the meat was simmering and Eddie came to lean next to you against the kitchen isle. He had his arms folded over his chest.

"You know, we're still friends with my ex-fiancé." You looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

Ex-fiancé? Excuse you? 

"Anne. She has a new boyfriend, Dan. At first, it was so awkward. I was still heartbroken, but at some point something just clicked and now we're all good with each other. Dan is a nice guy and I'm happy she was able to move on." You noticed the change in pronouns.

From his shoulder, black tendrils formed Venom's grinning face. 

" **Eddie was a pretty big loser back then**." 

You quirked an eyebrow. Eddie rolled his eyes and flicked Venom on the forehead. 

" _I_ went after Carlton Drake," he continued, "but ended up getting Anne fired because I stole the source material from her laptop. Classified information, of course." Your eyes widened. 

Carlton Drake was the guy from the Life Foundation. You heard some disturbing rumors about him, but you didn't like to follow them. Eddie continued.

"But then again, if all of that didn't happen..." Eddie lowered his arms. Venom retreated back into Eddie and you felt the tendrils sneaking up your legs. Eddie grabbed your waist. 

In one swift motion he lifted you up and set you on the kitchen isle. You held his shoulders tightly from the surprise movement and stared at his smug look. 

"If all that didn't happen, then we wouldn't have ever met you. None of this would be happening..." He brought his face closer and kissed you again. 

This time, there was something more primal in the kiss. You two had crossed a line earlier, and now holding back was out of the question. 

Your dangling legs wrapped around him and you pressed a firm hand on his chest. You could feel a vibration underneath your palm, no doubt Venom hiding underneath Eddie's skin. 

This time, Eddie brought a hand under your shirt to hold onto your waist. You could feel the tendrils tightening around your legs, holding you in place as Eddie's warm hand moved over your lower back. A small moan escaped your lips at the sensations. 

A hissing sound make Eddie turn abruptly. A string of curse words left him. You covered your mouth to hide your nervous giggles. The pasta water was boiling over. 

You watched as Eddie desperately tried to stop the water from ruining his stove and finish the pasta sauce. 

 

* * *

 

Eddie walked you home that night. You thanked him for the lunch and movie you two watched. And even though he hated the movie, he enjoyed your company. You promised to invite him to your place once you were finally settled in. 

You had asked him about his plans for the rest of the week. He would be doing research and meeting with different people during the day, but offered to meet up when he's done. 

You bid him a good night and pecked him on the cheek before running inside. 

You had finally found an apartment. You would be spending your free days packing and meeting up with Eddie in the evenings, once he's free. 

You stood in front of Ben's apartment. You were going to finally demand your money back and tell him that you're leaving. He can't hold you back. 

When you entered, you were immediately pulled inside and shoved against the wall. 

"Where the _fuck_ have you been?" His voice cracked. He was glaring daggers at you. 

You sucked in a breath and straightened yourself. Not today, you thought. Not anymore. 

You gave him your own glare and shoved him away. He stumbled and looked up at you with surprise. He was not expecting you to fight back.

"I've been out. I'm leaving you, Ben. And I'd like to get my fucking money back." 

You saw the words registering in his mind. 

"The fuck did you just say? Leaving? And you want your money back?" Ben shoved you against the wall again. His hand was digging into your shoulder. A sneer was plastered on his face.

"Your money belongs to me. Do you hear me?" 

You struggled against his iron hold. You couldn't break free, so you spat in his face. 

Ben wiped the spit off his face with clear disgust. You watched his glare darken. 

He grabbed your head and slammed it face first into the wall. 

White hot pain shot through your face, spreading through your head and down your back. You fell to the floor in a heap. You didn't move.

"Shit..." You heard Ben curse. "Shit shit shit."

You felt him kneel next to you and felt him sit you upright against the wall. 

"I'm so sorry, baby. Oh my god... _Fuck_. What did I do?"

He was panicking, but all you could think about was the throbbing pain in the left side of your face. 

"Baby, I'm so sorry. I love you, okay. I love you. Please don't leave me. Fuck, what do I do? Baby?" 

He cradled you in his arms, something he hadn't done in a long time. 

He tried to help you up and wrapped one of your arms around his shoulder. He helped you get to bed and brought a towel with ice for the bruise. 

Your mind was getting foggy. And every time you moved your head a pain shot through your scalp. 

Ben sat down next to you and grabbed your hand. 

"Baby, please. I'm so sorry. Don't leave me, please." 

You managed to turn your head slightly. 

Ben looked miserable. He hadn't shaved in a few days and his curls were greasy. There were stains on his shirt. 

A complete and utter mess. 

But you had already made up your mind and nothing could change it.

"I've made up my mind," you whispered hoarsely. You felt like you were going to be sick. 

Ben froze for a second, but stood up and walked to the bedroom door. He left, the door slamming closed behind him. 

You shut your eyes and thought of all the nastiest curses for your pain.


	4. Chapter 4

You woke up to sunlight. You had to squint your eyes to keep minimize the headache it was causing. Why did you feel so terrible? Your head was killing you.

The events of last night slowly came back to you.

Right. Ben nearly cracked your skull open against the wall.

You slowly tried to get up, but felt the need to puke as soon as you were upright. Concussion? Most likely.

You hurried to the bathroom, swinging the door open and holding onto the toilet as the contents of your stomach surged out.

You were on your knees soon after, feeling miserable. You wanted to cry, but you were too drained. Pittiful was the only way to describe your current state.

Stupid Ben.

You sat there next to the toilet for a good five minutes before flushing and getting back on your feet.

The tiles under your bare feet were cold.

Where were your shoes?

You looked at yourself in the mirror. Your stomach dropped.

Your left eye was purple. You carefully touched it but immediately regretted it as a pain shot through your nerves.

Fuck.

You went back to the bedroom and stood in the middle. You pondered your next action. Your mind was foggy, so it took you a while to string a cohesive thought.

You had found your apartment and could move in at the end of the week. Would you be able to hold up until then?

Where was Ben?

You shuffled to the door and cracked it open slightly. Peering into the living room, you saw your bag in the corner of the room, having been dropped there when Ben pushed you against the wall.

You couln't find Ben with your painful vision, so you assumed he had left. What time was it?

You moved as slowly as you could to avoid causing yourself anymore pain. Careful to keep your head level, you grabbed your bag from the floor and searched for your phone.

Eddie had sent you numerous texts and you even had a missed call from him.

Your heart sank.

Your finger hovered over the call dial. Did you want to speak to him? He was probably busy right now.

Your eyes glanced at the time. Noon.

You were too weak to have a conversation. Your throat was sore and your head was causing you too much discomfort.

You went back to bed and clutched your phone. The moment your head hit the pillow, a soft comfort soaking into you.

But the comfort didn't last long. Pity, miserable, anger and mostly guilt washed over you. You sucked in your bottom lip and groaned.

Why did this have to happen to you? Was it karma? No. You only have yourself to blame. _You_ decided to go on that first date with Ben. _You_ decided to move in with him after only a month. _You_ decided to stay with him, even after he threw that first bottle at you.

Even after all the times he hurt you, you stayed. You didn't forgive him persé, but there was a twinge of hope that he would regret it and change, because he wasn't awful all the time

You only have yourself to blame.

So why did you feel so pittiful? You had no right.

Your phone buzzed. Eddie was calling you.

The knot in your stomach tightened. You didn't deserve him. You didn't want to bother him with your self-pity and pain. He would freak out if he found out about Ben having hurt you. And without a doubt Venom would tear Ben's head off.

The phone stopped buzzing and the missed call icon showed up on the screen. You turned your phone over and hid under the sheets for the rest of the day.

 

* * *

 

Turns out your body really needed the rest, you found out when you woke up the next morning.

You were feeling only slightly better, the sick feeling from the day before having gone down to a dull throb in your head.

You could only stay out of bed for a few hours, so you used those few to pack as much of your stuff as possible, stacking the boxes in a corner. Ben kept to himself, but you could feel his uneasiness around you.

He slept on the sofa and you were sure he would until you left.

You hadn't contacted Eddie yet and the guilt was burning a hole in your stomach. What were you supposed to say?

He had sent you more texts throughout the day and even left a voicenote before you went to bed. You didn't open his messages, afraid he could somehow know see your thoughts.

You thought about Venom and their tendrils tightening around your legs.

Your face burned up and you covered it with a pillow, a strange sensation settling into your lower abdomen.

Your feelings were a mess. You wanted so desperately to talk to them.

You stared up at the ceiling, willing the tears to come up so you can let out your frustrations.

 

* * *

 

 That's how you spent the rest of your week off, in silence and wallowing in self-pity. You were down to your last box on Saturday.

It was around three when you finally finished packing. There was no longer a haze covering your mind. You would go out to Samuel's office today to fill in the paperwork and pick up your keys. Maybe you could have a coffee at your work later, when it's not so busy.

You took a quick shower, enjoying the warm water running over your body.

Your head didn't hurt so much anymore, but your eye was still sore and the bruise there had turned an ugly purple-green color. You attempted to hide the ugly mark with concealer. The discoloration was only slightly covered with the make-up and after several frustrating minutes you decided to throw on some sunglasses.

You were about to leave when the front door opened. Ben walked in with furrowed brows. His scowl deepened when he noticed you were about to leave.

"Where are you off to?" His voice was gruff. You sent him a glare, which he wasn't able to see through the shades, and left without saying anything.

The streets were less busy than you thought they would be. Samuel's office was only a twenty minute walk away from Ben's apartment.

Samuel gave you a weird look when you took off your glasses, revealing your poor attempt at hiding the discolored eye. You ignored his stare and signed the papers.

"I hope you enjoy your new apartment," he said and offered his hand. You shook it and made sure to meet his eyes. Samuel smiled nervously.

Instead of leaving the building with a new sense of responsibility, a feeling of dread came over you. Now that you finally had your keys, how would you be moving your few boxes?

You decided to head over to your work for a coffee and a moment to think.

The pastry shop was empty, save for your boss bringing some empty trays to the back. She greeted you cheerfully and asked how your week off was. You smiled, but the action caused you slight discomfort.

She made a coffee for you and told you she would be in the back for a bit. It was only when she left that you took your sunglasses off and sighed deeply.

But even as you sat there finally taking a moment for yourself, you realized that you could no longer hide from a certain someone.

You finally opened Eddie's messages. There were several worried texts from him. He asked you if he had done something to upset you, if you wanted some alone time, if you were alright. He sent several texts saying that he was there for you if you needed anything. The few days you didn't respond, he had sent goodmorning and goodnight texts and small updates about his day.

The guilt you had been feeling was growing exponentially and you covered your mouth to hide a small gasp. You turned your phone over and hid your face in your hands, careful not to put pressure on your bruised side.

You had fucked up. What did he think of you now? God, you were awful. Here was someone- no. Here were Eddie _and_ Venom, two wonderful individuals, showing you their utmost adoration and time. They were putting effort in their relationship with you, whatever kind it was at the moment.

You didn't deserve them.

Your mind was far away when the front door opened, the bells above it jingling. It startled you out of your reverie and you looked up. Your breathing momentarily stopped.

Eddie was staring at you. You could see his eyes move over your face until they settled on staring at your left eye. His expression changed from surprise to worry and confusion. He approached you and you stood up to wrap your arms around him. He held you tightly.

"Oh my god," he whispered into your hair. You were too shocked to see him. Your mind was racing.

"I'm so sorry," you whispered into his chest. And you truly felt sorry.

"Dont," he said and took your face into his hands. He carefully ran his finger over your brow and inspected your eye. "What happened?'

There was no way you could tell him. He— _Venom_ would most likely kill Ben.

"I tripped," was your basic lie. Eddie frowned. He knew it was a lie.

"That's bullshit." You winced and wriggled out of Eddie's hold.

"I tripped and fell against the couch." You needed to change the topic. Eddie did the thing where he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, or was it Venom? Was it a finger or tendril that you felt? You felt a ghostly touch on your shin.

You rummaged through your bag for your new keys to your apartment and dangled them in front of Eddie. Your face lit up when you saw excitement flash across his features.

"You got the keys?" He asked. You smiled and nodded your head. The edge of his lips quirked up and formed his signature smirk. You felt those butterflies reappear in your stomach.

"Looks like I can finally invite you over for lunch or dinner," you teased. You could see Venom flash at the edges of Eddie's eyes, no doubt to show his approval.

You sat down and Eddie joined you.

It was quiet for a moment. Eddie was watching you with a look you couldn't describe. You felt a tendril caress your lower leg.

You were sure that he was dying to know what happened, but it was best if you didn't tell him. Once you were finally moved into your new apartment, Ben would be something of the past.

"I have to find a way to move my boxes tomorrow."

"We could help you, maybe borrow Anne's car." He gave you another smile. This time, you were the one who put your hand on his. He intertwined your fingers and squeezed lightly.

The conversation moved on to what you were mostly excited about once you moved in. You wanted to have different house plants and maybe even buy a yoga mat.

It was mostly dark when you and Eddie finally left the pastry shop. The evening air was chilly and you tried your best to stick close to Eddie. He grabbed your hand at some point and you couldn't help but smile to yourself.

Things would get better, you told yourself. Ben would no longer be in your life once you move out and you and Eddie could finally work on your relationship. He wasn't technically your boyfriend yet, but you couldn't call yourselves just friends either.

It was that in between phase full of excitement and butterflies and learning. You wondered when it would turn into that comfortable and unconditional kind of thing.

At some point, you felt Eddie's hand slip out of yours. You looked up at him in confusion.

"Something wrong?" you asked. Eddie didn't look at you. He pulled you into an alley and carefully held you against the wall, but it wasn't Eddie you were staring at.

Venom's tendrils carefully held you in place. The symbiote added more muscle on Eddie's frame and the milky white streaks over his body glistened in the minimal light. The white patches on his face narrowed, indicating a deep scowl.

" **Now, unlike Eddie I'm a little more straightforward. Tell me who hurt you** ," The bass in his sound sent shivers up your spine and you tried to wriggle out of his hold, but it was no use.

Damnit. You should've known that Venom would not let it go so easily. Of course, he couldn't give you a piece of his mind back at the pastry shop.

So what better place to confront you about your lie than in an alley, where you two first met?

A tendril carefully touched your eye. It shot back when you winced. Venom brought his face closer to your eye.

Up close, you can clearly see how sharp his teeth were, wet with his saliva.

Venom was concerned. He was concerned and he would _not_ drop it.

"Please," you whimpered, "please." Venom drew back at hearing your pleading. His tendrils immediately let you go and he just stood there in front of you.

You felt the first sob come through your throat and soon after they were wreaking through your body.

You were finally crying. After so long.

You felt Venom's tendrils touch your shins, trying to comfort you. You leaned forward and hid your face against their hard chest, the texture a slick, almost slimey kind of warmth.

You felt one of Venom's arms around you and their other hand rest on your head.

" **Was it that human you live with?** " Venom asked. You couldn't even answer him through your sobs, so you simply nodded.

You felt his body tense. After a moment, Venom retreated and you were now hugging Eddie.

"We'll kill him," he whispered. You shook your head to that.

"No, please. I already told myself that after I move, I'll be able to forget about him. He's not worth your energy." Eddie seemed to ponder your request and begrudgingly have you a grunt. You felt relieved. There would be no decapitating tonight.

Eddie walked you back to the apartment, but this time he came all the way to the front door.

"Are you sure you want to stay another night here?" You gave Eddie a sympathetic smile.

"I'll be alright. I gotta look after my stuff. It's only for a few hours."

Eddie grumbled a 'fine' before pulling you into a hug. 

"We'll help move your boxes tomorrow morning. We'll see what we can arrange for transport." He gave you a kiss on your temple.

"Thank you, both of you." You gave him one final kiss before slipping inside.

The state you found the kitchen in, was frightening.

Glass crunched under your shoes as you walked over to the kitchen isle. Glasses and plates had been smashed and the crappy barstools had been thrown to the floor. Had someone broken in?

Ben appeared from the bedroom and you immediately regretted ever coming back.

He lunged forward and grabbed you by the throat, squeezing your airway. You clawed at his hands and tried to scream.

"You dirty bitch, you were cheating on me, weren't you? Playing the victim but all this time you've been screwing someone behind my back!" Ben's spit landed on your face. His face was red from the anger. Your eyes stung with tears.

He pushed you to the floor and you tried to kick him off of you.

Suddenly, Ben was lifted from the ground and thrown to the other side of the room. Eddie hauled you off your feet and advanced on Ben, who was groaning in pain and trying to get back onto his feet.

"Listen here, you little fucker." Eddie's voice was dangerously low, Venom's voice also coming through. The hairs on the back of your neck stood up straight.

Eddie singlehandedly lifted Ben's pittiful body off the ground. Ben was struggling.

"We won't eat you, because the little lady has asked us to spare your disgusting ass. But remember this: come near her again, and you won't have a head very soon after." Eddie dropped Ben and kicked him in the face. Ben let out a painful cry.

Eddie pulled you with him out of the apartment. But right before you exited, you heard Ben shout something after you.

"You're as good as dead with him. You know that, right? You stupid bitch." You looked over your shoulder to see Ben's bloodied and broken face. Eddie pushed you out of the apartment and whispered a "stay there", before disappearing back inside. You heard a growl and then a terrified scream from Ben.

Eddie appeared again and practically dragged you down the stairs and out of the complex. You knew what he had done. More specifically, _Venom_. That should hopefully keep him away from you for the rest of your life.

Or send the cops on you.

"You can sleep at our place tonight. We'll pick up your stuff in the morning." Eddie's tone was final and your heart did a little leap at his protectiveness.

When you arrived at his apartment, you felt the sudden change in atmosphere.

You had always admired Eddie's apartment for its homeliness. The desk shoved into the corner strewn with papers and his laptop. The kitchen with its different utensils and the small living room with a worn sofa that no doubt had seen Eddie's tired self knocked out on.

That same couch was calling to you and you made yourself go over to it. Eddie put on some water to boil and checked his fridge for something to eat.

"Want some tea? We don't really have much to eat left, but we can always order something."

You hummed and sank down into the sofa's cushions.

"What do you want to eat?" You heard him ask from the kitchen.

You hummed again and set your head on a pillow. You didn't even feel like taking off the concealer caked on your face, because your head on a pillow felt like bliss. You hear Eddie's voice in the distance, but sleep quickly took over your senses.

You drifted in and out of sleep. One time feeling a blanket being laid on you, another Eddie's lips pressed against your brow.

 

* * *

 

The final time you woke up, you stayed awake. Light filtered through the blinds and you found yourself in a bed. It took you a moment to remember where you were, and blushed furiously when you remembered Eddie's lips against your face before sleeping.

You got out of bed and silently padded over to the bathroom. Your face felt heavy from the makeup still on there, so you tried your best to wash it off as much as possible. You felt refreshed and headed back to the bedroom.

You heard a woman's laughter coming from the other side of the bedroom door. You pressed your ear to the door and listened curiously.

Eddie was laughing too, but abruptly stopped when your shifted your weight to your other foot. Did Venom sense that you were up?

"What's wrong?" you faintly heard a woman ask.

"She's up," you heard Eddie answer. You had a feeling he would walk into the bedroom, so you dove back into bed and hid under the sheets, feigning sleep.

The door opened and your heard Eddie chuckle.

"Can't fool us, babe."

Your heart nearly thumped out of your chest at the new nickname. You shot up and huffed.

"Was worth a try," you muttered. Eddie was laughing now and pointed a thumb over his shoulder.

"Breakfast is waiting, and we'd like you to meet Anne."

Anne. Your heart was beating rapidly. The ex-fiancé was here? Part of you was nervous, the other part was dying to meet her.

You follow Eddie back into the kitchen where a blonde woman was plating scrambled eggs and sausage for you. She chirped a goodmorning and was smiling from ear to ear. She offered her hand. You took it and smiled gratefully back.

"Goodmorning, I'm Anne. Eddie's been telling me all sorts of things about you, I'm so happy to finally meet you." Her voice was like a shot of sunshine. She was really pretty as well.

"Hi, nice to meet you too. Thank you, for the breakfast, you really didn't have to." Your mouth was watering at the plate. Anne waved off your comment.

"Oh, please. It's the least I can do for you." Anne's smile warms your heart. 

"We can borrow Anne's car to pick up your stuff," Eddie mentions. A tendril sneakily takes a sausage off your plate. You smile with your mouth full.

"Thank you, Anne." 

Whatever did you do to deserve their kindness? 

Eddie disappeared into his bedroom, and Anne took the opportunity to give you a very _knowing_ smile. She leaned on the counter.

"So," she started, "have you and him, y'know..." She wriggled her eyebrows and you nearly spat out your coffee. You felt your cheeks burn.

Oh god, was she really asking this? 

"N-no. This is actually the first time I stayed over for the night..." You looked away out of shyness. 

"I'll tell you this, he's a size, and you should definitely not feel uncomfortable with him." Anne giggled. "And I bet Venom could add _a lot_ in the bedroom."

You gave Anne a mortified look, your eyes wide and face flustered. Anne laughed at your reaction.

"Oh _please_ , I'm sure you've imagined about it, haven't you? No need to be shy about it." 

To tell yourself the truth, you've pictured having sex with Eddie numerous times before. And you were definitely curious about Venom's input. Would he use those tendrils? What about that tongue? 

Your thoughts weren't helping your flustered state. You covered your face with embarrassment. Anne laughed even louder. You had been caught.

"Mind sharing the joke with us?" Eddie reappeared wearing a new shirt and looked expectantly between you and Anne. You looked up and shook your head. He must've noticed your embarrassment, because he was giving you a very smug look. 

"You two already keeping secrets from us? Anne, what do you say to make her so red? Her ears!" Eddie leaned in and touched your brow. His hot breath hit your skin and you nearly lost it. You squirmed away from his touch and nearly fell out of the chair. Anne was holding her stomach and wiping away tears of laughter. 

"You're gonna kill me, wow!" Anne shot and managed to straighten herself. You tried to regain your composure and offered Eddie your last sausage. He took it happily, but still shot you a suspicious look. You let out a chuckle and playfully slapped his arm, which was firm to the touch. 

"Secret, big guy." 

You saw Venom appear at the edges of Eddie's eyes, no doubt liking your little blunder. 

"If you say so, but don't think Venom won't try to get it out of you, one way or the other." His smirk was doing bad things to you, and so was that statement. 

You were screwed. 

"Come on, you two. Let's pick up those boxes." Anne picked up her keys and dangled them in front of you. You happily complied.

It was time you moved on to better things.

 

* * *

 

 Ben was nowhere to be seen when you and Eddie got to the apartment. It was still a mess, glass shattered all over the place. Anne waited in the car outside. 

Eddie helped carry the heaviest boxes with Venom's shared strength. Once the last box was finally brought down, you took one final look at the hell you had lived in for almost a year. It was crazy to think that you were finally free. You wouldn't miss it, even if there were good memories in the beginning. 

Your new apartment complex had an elevator in the foyer which made hauling boxes up to the second floor much easier. After only an hour your boxes were all inside your new apartment. 

You took a moment to fully take in the space. Eddie made sure to put the boxes labeled 'bedroom' 'kitchen' and 'living room' in their rightful rooms. You watched him pat down his hands on his jeans and readjust his jacket. 

He looked up and gave you a small smile. 

Cupid was shooting too many arrows through your heart. 

"Want us to help you unpack?" He asked. You gave him a smile and shook your head.

"It's alright. You and Anne can go, I'm sure you both have your own things to do. I'm going to lay down for a bit I think, and then slowly start unpacking the essentials." You moved over to Eddie and gave him a small kiss. His hand came to rest on your waist and he leaned his head into the crook of your neck. 

"If you say so, call if you need anything. We're only 15 minutes away." Eddie tucked your hair behind your ear. 

"I will, thank you. You and Anne both."

Smiles were exchanged and you found yourself alone in your new apartment not too long after. You sighed, not really wanting to take a nap. 

You found a pair of scissors and set to opening the first boxes.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have the majority of this fic fleshed out, so ive been writing non stop :)) this is kind of a filler in my eyes, but still necessary ?

Life was slowly getting better for you and you couldn't be happier.

Eddie and you had gone on various dates in the last couple of weeks since you moved in. Your relationship was still in that in between phase, the just dating one, as Eddie hasn't asked you to be his girlfriend yet.

But you could as well ask him too, you didn't want to be the stereotypical guy-asks-girl kind of person.

Were you ready, though? Was your relationship with Eddie strong enough to take the next step? Surely, since you two have already made out countless times.

Almost took it further too, if it wasn't for some environmental factor that prohibited it.

Your mind shot back to the pasta boiling and you surpressed a giggle.

You and Anne had also become friends in the weeks passed. She'd drop by at the shop mid-week to buy an eclair. The first time she bought one, you couldn't help but giggle. She'd given you a strange look and you told her about how you and Eddie met.

She'd told you about how she and Dan met, her boyfriend after Eddie. You had asked her who had initiated the leap after dating.

"I did," she'd told you, "but don't worry, I'm sure Eddie is waiting for a special moment."

You hoped so, otherwise you would have to find a way to ask him. You didn't want to come off as too strong, though. It has to be at the right moment.

And that moment, would be tonight, you told yourself. You were trying to get home as quick as possible, Anne and Dan had invited you and Eddie over for a dinner. Eddie would pick you up via Uber.

You could ask him when he picks you up.

You were cleaning out the last trays of the day and put aside a small strawberry tart for the dinner, everyone was sure to love it.

You finished cleaning just before the shift ended, so you took out the trash for your boss' convenience.

You were on your way home quickly after. You made sure to drop by Mrs Chen's to buy some new razors, you were not going to go to dinner with your legs looking like they did.

Eddie texted you to be ready around 8, so you had to hurry and take a shower. You were careful not to nick your knee while shaving, a bloodbath was not on your agenda tonight.

After lathering up with your body cream, you slipped on the black dress you had hidden away in your closet. The dress was fitted and had small bead embellishments around the neckline. The neckline was low, but not low enough to reveal too much cleavage.

You ran your hands over the material around your hips and looked at yourself in the mirror.

You had lost some weight, partially from the stress, more so from your new yoga routine. You liked your new figure, and hoped to work more yoga into your schedule.

Your phone buzzed, Eddie was waiting outside. You quickly strapped on some heels and grabbed your purse. You didn't have time to do something elaborate with your hair, so you simply brushed through it and left it as is, falling around your shoulders. It was getting a bit too long for your liking, so you made a mental note to cut it sometime this week.

You made sure not to forget the tart and walked as fast as you could down the stairs and to the front where Eddie stood.

He cracked a smile upon seeing you and his eyes roamed up and down your body, clear approval showing on his face. You blushed and the tingles went up your spine knowing he liked what he was seeing.

Your eyes looked him up and down as well. You definitely weren't complaining either. Eddie had switched out of his usual worn shirt, jeans and jacket for a dressier pair of jeans and a navy-blue dress shirt.

"We should dine out fancily more often," he said and gave you a kiss. With his hand on the small of your back he guided you into the car. You could feel a tendril, courtesy of Venom, snake up your leg. You gave the driver a tight lipped smile and glanced at Eddie. He hadn't noticed Venom's little indecency.

"Maybe we should," you teased. The tendril tightened for a split second.

It was the first time Eddie saw you dressed up so... sexy. Whenever you two went out on a date, it was always in casual attire at each others places. You two weren't the expensive dining out kind of daters, preferring comfort and home over the anxiety being out in public sometimes gave you.

And being at home also meant that Venom could come out and join the conversations. The symbiote liked to be present, and he was quite the chatterbox.

The ride wasn't too long and soon you and Eddie were waiting outside Dan's house. It was in between a row of houses and located in a chiq neighborhood.

You've never met Dan before, but you learned from Eddie that he was a doctor. He had helped him way back when Venom was still new in his body.

The door opened and a dressed up Anne greeted you cheerfully.

“Well, well. You two look great! Come in!"

You stepped inside and held up the boxed tart.

"The kitchen is this way, does this have to be refridgerated?" You nodded and followed Anne into the kitchen.

Dan was standing at the stove and greeted you and Eddie. You shook his hand.

"Nice to finally meet Eddie's little lady. Anne's has been telling me great things about you."

Dan was a bit taller than Eddie and seemed more put together. Where Eddie was more laid back and allowed some of his stubble to grow, Dan seemed like he shaved every day. It wouldn't surprise you if he plucked his eyebrows.

Dan wore a light blue dress shirt, matching with Anne's pale blue dress.

The table was already plated and soon dinner was served. Dan poured you and Eddie a glass of a wine you didn't recognize and poured a glass for himself as well. Anne disappeared into the kitchen and returned with some napkins.

Dan made a toast and Eddie was the first to try the turkey.

"So, what I would like to know, is how Eddie the reporter, met a pretty dame like you." Dan shot you a smile and Anne nudged him in the side.

"I told you, didn't I?" Dan rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, but I want to hear it from the source, maybe get some juicy details they haven't told you yet." This time, Anne rolled her eyes.

"It's not really an interesting story. He and Venom saved me from this nasty guy and we pretty much clicked," you explained. Eddie was busy chewing and held his glass in his hand.

Dan took a sip of his wine and nodded.

The conversation drifted towards different topics, politics, film taste and what you did for a living. You explained that you were currently working at a pastry shop, but that you actually went to cooking school.

"So you're a chef?" Dan asked.

"Pastry chef," Eddie corrected for you. You felt his hand come to rest on your thigh. His hand was warm.

"I'm quite happy with my current job though,"

A tendril was moving up your leg. It was inching towards the bottom hem of your dress, teasing your thigh. The goosebumps were unavoidable.

You shot Eddie a glance, but he kept his face straight and void of any kind of knowledge.

The sneaky bastard.

The tendril moved under your dress and you tried not to squirm in your seat. Eddie was idly rubbing his thumb over your leg while he discussed something with Dan. You glanced over at Anne, who quirked an eyebrow at your clearly red face.

Clear your head. Clear- Venom's tendril ghosted over the edge of your panties.

Anne cleared her throat and you were grateful for the action. Venom's tendril retreated, but Eddie continued his little caresses. Dan shut his mouth and grabbed Anne's hand.

"We have something to announce," Anne started.

"Anne and I are expecting." Dan cracked a big smile.

Eddie was quiet and stopped moving his thumb and finally took away his hand altogether. Your skin was left with goosebumps.

You had expected him to say something, but he didn't. He was looking at Anne, but she was avoiding his gaze. Instead, she was looking straight at you.

You knew that look. Uncertainty, nervousness, fear... maybe regret? No, this wasn't something Anne would regret. This news took her a lot of courage. She and Eddie had been engaged once upon a time, so of course it would be something difficult to process. Eddie had loved her.

Did he still have such feelings for her?

Eddie cleared his throat.

"Congratulations, really. We're so happy for you." Eddie looked between Anne and Dan. You heard his sincereness in his voice.

"Thank you, Eddie." Anne finally looked up and smiled.

"Congratulations, I'm sure you'll be great parents," you said happily. Dan emptied his glass and chuckled.

"It was kind of a surprise. Because, well, the condom broke and Anne was in between switching birth controls and–" Anne nudged him again.

"They don't have to know that, gosh," she started to laugh. "How about we get the dessert ready?" she asked you. You stood up and followed her to the kitchen.

As Anne was slicing the pieces, she asked you a rather complex question.

"Do you think... that Eddie hates me?"

You looked up surprised.

"No." Anne glanced at you, so you elaborated further. "It's a lot for him to process. I mean, you two were engaged once. And I'm sure he even pictured having a family with you one time. He cares a lot about you. And I don't think he would harbor ill feelings towards you and Dan for something like this."

You meant it, even though Eddie was a complex person with a symbiote living inside of him.

"Are you two beyond just dating now?"

You shook your head and let out a wistful laugh.

"I don't know, honestly. I guess we are. I've been going about it in my head and I care so much about it, but I don't want to be so...I don't know." You laughed nervously.

"I wouldn't think too much about it. He's a very nice guy and you two deserve each other." You looked up at Anne.

"The same goes for you and Dan." Anne rubbed some of the cream on your nose and you both ended up laughing off the heartfelt conversation.

After dinner, Anne gave you and Eddie a ride home. Dan had one too many glasses of wine and stayed home to clean up. He enjoyed your company.

Eddie got out with you and walked you up to your door. His hand was resting on your waist.

"I enjoyed tonight," you said and unlocked your door.

"We did too." He looked you up and down again and his hand slowly inched towards your backside. You glanced up at him with a smile.

"I was wondering," you started. Eddie looked up to meet your eyes. He hummed to let you know he was listening.

"Can you consider us as boyfriend and girlfriend now?" The question slipped out without a second thought. Eddie smirked and brought his face close to your ear.

"We've considered you our girlfriend since the first time we kissed you, babe."

The tingles ran up your body and you giggled into his shoulder.

"Good, because I didn't want to consider us as 'just dating' anymore."

"We neither," Eddie whispered and pressed his lips against yours. The kiss held a twinge of lust in it. Eddie's hands roamed up your body and over your curves. You felt him cup your ass. You let out a surprised squeak.

You pulled away from the kiss and nuzzled your face in Eddie's shoulder. You were both trying to regulate your breathing.

"Venom has a few words for you," he says. You smile.

The symbiote's black tendrils covered Eddie's body. You felt the texture under your fingers change.

Venom's grin was wide and he looked at you. His tongue darted out and flicked your nose.

"Sweet," he grumbled. You felt his tendrils sneak up your body.

"You're such a tease," you giggled. Being felt up by Venom was giving you strange sensations.

"Something else smells sweet too," A tendril inched under your dress and you let out a surprised yelp. You tugged your dress down and tried to push him away, but he didn't budge, obviously. The bulky muscles under your palm shifted and soon you were looking up at Eddie again.

"Sorry, I don't know what got over him," Eddie chuckled and gave you a final peck on the cheek.

"We won't be able to walk you home tomorrow, got some business with some contacts for a story."

"That's alright. You don't have to walk me home every night either."

Eddie's lips quirked upwards and soon you were waving him off.

Your head hit your pillow a few minutes later and you succumbed to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Your stomach rumbled. It was near the end of your shift the next day and you couldn't wait to get home and cook yourself dinner. Eddie couldn't walk you home, unfortunately. You didn't take it badly, of course there would be times his schedule didn't match up to yours.

"You can take home the leftover eclairs. And if you can, take the leftover cake to Mrs Chen."

You shut the garbage bin in the back and shouted an 'ok'.

You took off your apron and checked your phone. Eddie had sent several texts that made you smile to yourself. He really was precious.

Your heart fluttered when you thought back to last night, when Venom appeared because he couldn't hold himself back.

The walk to Mrs Chen's store gave you deja-vu and somehow you pictured Eddie appearing out of nowhere.

Mrs Chen was busy counting coins when you walked into the store.

"Hi Mrs Chen." You placed the box with cake on the counter.

"Oh, thank you! Go ahead and pick out something small, my treat." Mrs Chen gave you a hearty smile and you decided to head home with a Snickers.

"Have a nice evening," you called over your shoulder.

You unwrapped the chocolate and took a bite, enjoying the night air. In the distance you could hear thunder rumbling. You had to hurry and get home or you might get caught up in the rain.

You were planning out to cook something different tonight. You still had a bag of tortellini in the cupboard and a jar of ragú ready to be opened.

You wished Eddie could've joined you, you were sure he and Venom would've liked it.

Maybe he can come over later this week. You would send him a text about it once you got home.

You passed a car parked on the side of the curb and glanced at yourself in the window's reflection. Your hair was a mess from the wind. You hurried into the foyer of the complex.

You fumbled for your keys and was about to stick it into the lock, when you stopped in your tracks.

Your door was not locked.

Your heart started beating faster and you held your keys tightly, remembering the self defense trick Eddie taught you. Keep the end of your key sticking out through your fingers to jab your attacker.

You slowly pushed your door open.

Your hallway was empty and looked normal, so you carefully walked to the living room and kitchen. You should've probably called the cops first.

You peeked your head around the corner and felt your heart sink at the familiar sight.

Your apartment was trashed. Furniture was thrown against the wall and the pillows had been ripped apart. The cabinets in your kitchen were cracked, its contents shattered on the floor. Your fridge was open and whatever was inside had been strewn across the floor.

Who would do something like this?

The glass crunched under your shoes and you set the box with eclairs on the counter. Your throat was swollen shut with shock.

Your pots and pans had also been thrown to the floor, some of them badly dented.

One of the doors in the hallway opened. You held your breath and froze. The intruder was still in the apartment.

Shit. Shit shit shit.

What the fuck were you going to do?

You crouched behind the kitchen isle and hoped the perpetrator would just leave.

You heard heavy footsteps and then the sound of glass crunching under one's weight.

They moved through the living room and then back towards the kitchen.

You looked up to see Samuel staring down at you. You screamed.

He tried to grab you, but you kicked as hard as you could, your foot landing a solid kick against their jaw. You crawled away from them, the glass on the floor digging into your palms and knees.

Get out. You had to get out.

Samuel grabbed you by the foot and dragged you back.

"Not so fast," he snarled out. You thrashed around and tried to grab whatever you could to hit him.

"Leave me alone! Don't fucking touch me!" His grip on you tightened and you managed to kick him off. You scrambled back onto your feet and grabbed onto the counter to pull yourself up.

"Get back here, you little bitch!"

You grabbed a nearby pan and whirled around just in time to smack him against the head. You heard a solid thunk and then watched him hit the ground.

You clutched the pan with one hand and wiped away the the strands of hair stuck on your face. Your breathing was labored and as the adrenaline wore off, you felt the stinging in your hands and knees.

You couldn't take your eyes off of Samuel's unconscious body.

Was he dead? Did you kill him? Oh god, you didn't mean to kill him!

You dropped the pan and crouched down to hold your head in your hands.

What were you supposed to do now? You had to call the cops right?

Your body was shaking with uncontrolled tremors.

Why? Why could you not live a normal life without men trying to murder you? Were you cursed? Did your grandma do something terrible to have a curse put upon her descendants? You cried out in frustration.

You wanted to leave, get away. You longed for Eddie and his embrace, for Venom's hulking form comforting you.

Your mind was turning foggy again. The stinging in your hands made you look down to see droplets of red welling up in your palms.

You turned around and walked out of your apartment and into the streets.

The thunder outside was growing louder, but there was still no rain. Your legs were numb, but they somehow carried you all the way to the familiar outside of Eddie's door. How did you get there?

You raised your fist to knock, but kept it hovering in the air.

Was he already home? He would've sensed you by now right? Venom would've told him about you being on the other side of the door.

You wanted Eddie and Venom's comfort so, so badly. You needed to see them.

You knocked, but there was no answer. Figures. He was still out.

You felt desperate.

You pressed your back against the door and slid down until you were sitting on the floor.

Your palms were crusted with blood and you felt gross. You brought your knees to your chest and wrapped your arms around them. You rested your head against your arms and shut your eyes.

You were back to feeling like a mess.

 

* * *

 

You didn't know how long you had been sitting there against his door, but you were almost asleep when you finally heard his footsteps echoing up the stairs. 

Your mind was groggy when you looked up. Eddie froze. You must look like a complete disaster, sitting at his door waiting for him to come home.

"Fuckin' hell, what?" There was panic in his voice as he crouched down beside you and wrapped his arms around you. He grabbed your hands and inspected the injuries.

"How? Fuck, come inside. You have to wash these. What happened?" A tendril unlocked his door and Eddie let you inside. He hurried to the faucet and ran your hands under the water. You squeezed your eyes shut and bit your lip to keep from crying out. It fucking stung.

"Wait here." Eddie disappeared into his bedroom and came back with a small first aid kit. He was fumbling with the box and letting out curse words. You watched him silently.

Dark tendrils wrapped around his arm and soon he was covered by Venom you expertly opened the kit. He moved the kit towards you so you could grab whatever you needed, him not knowing what he needed.

You carefully added some antibiotic cream onto your cuts. Tendrils were wrapping around your legs and body.

"Who do we have to eat," Venom asked gruffly. You shook your head.

"Tell us," he pressed. You shook your head again.

You didn't want to think about it. You looked up at Venom. His broad form was so close to you, you felt his warmth and strength radiate off of him. You leaned into him carefully.

"My apartment was broken into, the guy—" your mouth snapped shut. Samuel was probably still unconscious on your kitchen floor.

Venom held a hand on your back and retreated, letting Eddie pull you closer into a hug.

You wanted him closer.

You fisted his shirt in your hands and brought your face up to his. He looked down at you with such hurt in his eyes, you didn't know how to react.

You pressed your mouth onto his and grabbed the back of his head. He tried to reciprocate, but you were being too rough.

He tried to pull back and called your name softly.

"Don't. This isn't–." You kicked off your shoes and moved your hands under his shirt, your fingers enjoying the rippling of muscle underneath them.

"I need you. Make me forget," you whispered against his lips. Eddie managed to grab your wrists and pried your hands off of him. He was trying to get you to look at him.

"Not like this, We don't want our first time with you to be like this." He let go of your wrists when you stopped struggling. Your arms dropped beside you and you hid you face in his chest.

You were awful.

Eddie rested his hands on your shoulders.

"Hey, come on. Let's get you to bed." You followed Eddie to his bedroom.

He grabbed a large T-shirt out of a dresser and handed you it. You took it and sat down on the bed. Eddie helped you take off your shirt. You didn't think about the fact that he was seeing your bra, you were hurting in that moment.

The shirt reached your thighs, so you attempted to pull down your jeans as well. Eddie helped take them off and folded them neatly on the nearby dresser.

It was strange, being tucked in as a grown woman by a man like Eddie. You didn't mind it, however.

Your head felt heavy.

"Try to get some sleep," Eddie whispered. “We’ll take care of things.”

You were out like a light.


	7. Chapter 7

There was no way Eddie could let this go.

There was no way Venom would let this go.

**_Bite off their heads..._ **

Eddie was not opposing the idea. He really did feel like biting off the head of whoever did this to you. He scratched the back of his head.

Standing in the middle of his living room, he pondered his next move.

You were asleep in his bed, tired and emotional. He understood. They _both_ understood, amazingly. He was able to sense some form of empathy from Venom, which was a rarity. The symbiote really took to you and he was glad about it.

He decided to head to your apartment first.

The culprit was most likely still unconscious, going by your story about how you whacked him with pan. Eddie couldn't help but smirk as he made his way down the street. You were small compared to him, but even Venom would probably cower if you came at him with a pan, especially with the way you get angry.

Flashbacks of a dinner date gone wrong come back to him and he lets out a comical laugh.

But you never took out your emotions on him or Venom. You always bottled them up, until you no longer could. That was something he wanted to help with. He wanted you to understand that if you need someone to voice your thoughts and worries to, that he would be there.

But he didn't want to invade your personal space either. You were independant.

The door was left wide open. Eddie stopped for a second. 

He could smell blood from somewhere inside, thanks to Venom's heightened sense of smell.

**_He's still inside..._ **

Eddie walked into your apartment and stopped in the opening leading to your kitchen and living room. There was glass on the floor and the furniture had been torn up and thrown around.

Someone had deliberately tried to trash the place.

His eyes fell on the crumpled form against the wall. The man was trying to sit up straight and let out pained groans.

Venom's arm lashed out and twisted around him, lifting him off the floor with ease. Eddie was a hair away from ripping his head off, but he had to get some words out first.

The man looked familiar. His nose was crooked and bleeding and there was a nasty swelling on the side of his face, your handiwork.

The man let out a painful cry and tried to wriggle out of Venom's hold.

That's when Eddie realized who it was.

"Samuel? What the actual fuck?" Eddie's voice was laced with venom and he tried his best not to just let Venom take over.

There was another struggle, until Samuel gave up and let out a choked sob.

"Just let me go, I didn't think she would actually break my nose. I just- I just wanted to..." Samuel couldn't finish his sentence before letting out another whimper.

**_Pathetic... Let's bite his head off now._ **

"No." Eddie said out loud. He glared at Samuel's battered face and pushed him further into the wall.

"Why did you attack her?" Eddie demanded. Samuel shook his head, his bottom lip trembling.

"I-I didn't... It wasn't me! I got- he wanted me to scare her... Fuck! Just let me go, alright? I'll tell you!"

"Who? Who wanted to scare her?" What kind of people did you have after you? Was there something you didn't tell him?

"Her ex! Goddamnit! Her ex wanted–"

Oh. Of course.

Eddie dropped Samuel and walked straight to the door. Of course it was Ben. The dipshit.

There was a chuckle coming from behind him. He glanced over his shoulder at Samuel slumped on the floor. His demeanor had changed now that he wasn't being held up against the wall.

"You know, he always gets what he wants, one way or the other. She belongs to him and there's no way that–."

Samuel didn't finish the sentence. Without moving any other part of his body, Eddie's arm shot out and Venom's tendrils grabbed onto Samuel. With a single motion he was flung out of the window.

**_No head._ **

He remembered the way to Ben's apartment. He decided to take the long route, not being in any hurry.

You were not free of Ben, not yet. Ben was still alive and finding ways to ruin your life from afar. He must've known about the apartment long before you secured it. Samuel was a contact of his.

That phonecall. He knew he heard his voice through that cell.

The little bastard.

Eddie took the stairs two steps at a time. He stopped in front of the door.

**_Someone's home..._ **

Venom was bubbling underneath his skin, but he couldn't let him come out just yet.

So he kicked in the door.

Ben stood in the kitchen and dropped his plate of cereal. He ran for the bedroom.

Eddie didn't immediately go after him. He wasn't in a hurry. He walked around the kitchen isle, feeling the leftover glass crunching under his shoes. He saw Venom's reflection in the glass cupboards overhead.

"Ben, you little shit," Eddie let out.

Like a predator stalking its prey, Eddie slowly walked into the bedroom.

Ben was obviously hiding under the bed. He had pissed himself.

"We had even threatened you, Ben. Why didn't you just listen?" Eddie could feel the tendrils trying to take over. Not yet.

Ben was whimpering. Eddie stopped in front of the bed. He wasn't so tough now.

Eddie finally let go of the reins and Venom appeared with pure anger. He hurled the bed against the wall, exposing Ben's form pressed against the floor.

Ben immediately crawled to the wall and sat there with his hands on his head. Venom stalked towards him and crouched down in front of him.

Tendrils wrapped around his Ben's wrists and slowly squeezed them, they could snap them if he wanted.

Venom grinned at Ben's pathetic form. He let a tendril grab his head and forced him to look up. A whimper escaped him.

" **I'll give you a minute**."

_Venom, you're being generous._ Venom narrowed his eyes.

"Please, don't kill me! I'll leave her alone, just please don't kill me! I don't want to die. I just wanted her back. I had her first. I love her–.”

Venom grinned.

“Time’s up.” He didn’t give Ben a moment to scream before sinking his teeth into his flesh. In one swift motion he tore his head off, the sickening sound of flesh, muscle and bone tearing music to his ears. The smell of blood swimming through the air.

The blood gushed out of Ben’s headless body, now slumped on the floor in a mess of red.

Venom cracked the head with his teeth and tasted the brains.

Eddie gave Venom enough time to devour his well deserved brains, before getting up and leaving the apartment. Eventually, Ben’s corpse would be found.

Eddie heads back to your apartment. You need a clean clothes for tomorrow morning, after you take a shower. It’s a sensible thing to do and he wanted to make you feel comfortable.

He carefully trudges to your bedroom and finds a small bag to put clean clothes in.

He didn’t want to stay long, so he grabbed the first items he could find. A few pair of shorts, some T-shirts, a few pairs of underwear he didn’t want to look at but could hear Venom chuckling over because he thought they were ‘cute’ and two bras.

He also took those sandals you often wear when going out on some errands. He murmured to himself about having forgotten a sweater for you when he felt the first drizzles of rain hit his head on his way home.

Back at his place, Eddie carefully tried to keep quiet. It was pouring outside, but he hoped you could sleep through it. He put your stuff on the sofa and peeked in on you in his bed.

He found you had turned in your sleep and was now facing the side you normally sleep on. Your hair was a wild mess around you, yet the sheets covering you were still neatly tucked over you.

Eddie debated in getting into bed next to you. He didn’t want to make you feel uneasy and make it seem like he was taking advantage of your weak state.

Before Eddie could turn around, however, Venom had already moved his legs and was now pulling the covers aside for him to get him.

Eddie carefully positioned himself so he wouldn’t intrude on your space. His heart nearly stopped when you mumbled something and opened your eyes.

This is it, he thought. This is where he ends you for coming into bed with you without your consent.

Instead of kicking him out, you snaked your arm around his middle and crawled into the space beside him, your head on his chest. Eddie wrapped his arm around you and rested his head on yours. He could smell your shampoo still faintly in your hair.

He stayed like that. The rain outside continued and thunder boomed often, the lightning strikes illuminating the dark room every so often.

He was idly playing with a strand of your hair, when you softly spoke up.

“The rain calms me,” you said in a soft voice. “People usually take the moment to think about sad things when it rains, but I don’t. I feel happy and... I don’t know how to explain it...”

“I know what you mean.” Eddie answers back. He nuzzles his face in your hair and breathes in your soft, feminine smell. Venom is awfully quiet at the moment.

“Thank you,” you whisper.

“Always, love.” Eddie smiles gently and he can feel you smiling into him too.

The rain continued pouring well into the early morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chrysalism (n): the amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm, listening to waves of rain pattering against the roof like an argument upstairs, whose muffled words are unintelligible but whose crackling release of built-up tension you understand perfectly.
> 
> i wish it was an actual word


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> the chapter we've all been waiting for... enjoy

You woke up with something heavy over your chest. After blinking a few times, you realized it was Eddie's arm draped over you.

You didn't move.

A lot was going through your mind; most of them pleasant thoughts. Eddie's arm around you felt protective, the warmth his body gave off made you want to curl up even closer to him. How could he be so gentle?

You blinked and looked up towards his face. Your cheeks reddened.

Eddie was looking at you, sleep still evident in his eyes. He didn't say anything, and you felt his arm twitch.

His other arm was used to prop his head slightly up.

Very slowly, he reached out and brushed away the stray hairs on your face. His eyes were glassy, not fully focused. You were sure he didn't even know what he just did.

You shifted slightly, leaning in closer to him and finally twisted to face him fully. Eddie's arm around you tightened and all of a sudden you were nose to nose with him. A small smile reached your face.

"Good morning," you whispered.

"Good morning." Eddie let out a yawn before rubbing away the sleep from his eyes. "Feeling better?" he asked while stifling a yawn. You chuckled and nodded.

"Mhm, I feel much..." your mind was replaying the events from last night, prompting you to cover your face with your hands and let out a groan.

You had thrown yourself at him. You had practically begged him to sleep with you!

You turned away so your back was now facing him.

"I'm sorry about last night, Eddie. Oh god!" You groaned into the pillow and felt him laughing behind you. His chuckles vibrated against your back and it was definitely _not_ sending strange sensations through your body.

"It's all right. You were feeling weak and-hey, don't leave us alone here," Eddie reached out and grabbed your leg when you tried to roll out of bed to keep him from seeing your embarrassed state.

You felt the tendrils run up your leg and soon you were pulled back into bed and held tightly against Eddie's chest.

He brought his face closer to yours and you felt his hot breath tickle your skin. The tendrils around your legs tightened with every passing breath, sending jolts up your spine.

And then his lips were on yours, adding fuel to a fire brewing in the pit of your stomach. There was more to the kiss this time, underlying intent and questions, so many questions.

Eddie's hand was on your bare thigh and suddenly you were aware of your state of dress. You were still in his shirt and your underwear. Your skin crawled with sensations from the tendrils and his hot hand; was this going to be it?

You pulled back and looked him in the eyes.

"Eddie," you breathed. Eddie's eyes were glazed over, no doubt from the kiss. A shy smile formed on your face. "I have to pee."

Eddie fell back on his side of the bed and let out a whine. Venom's tendrils released you and you suppressed your giggle. You climbed out of bed and rushed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind you and pressing your back to it. Your heart was beating rapidly.

You closed your eyes and tried to catch your breath. You needed to set everything straight in your head.

You stood in front of the sink and washed your face with cold water.

There was no more uncertainty about how you feel about Eddie.

_And Venom._

You let out a deep sigh and looked at yourself in the mirror. Were you ready? Everything feels so right with them. He wasn't necessarily pushing you either. He can sense your needs, and you never hesitate to reciprocate. But how far were you willing to go?

_Let it happen naturally._

You fixed your mess of a hair a bit and opened the door to ask Eddie about some spare clothes. You stopped in the door opening.

Eddie was rummaging through his drawers looking for something. His shirt was thrown on the bed, a clean one over his shoulder. You were staring at the flexing muscles in his back.

Your cunt literally tightened.

You shook your head and walked forward. You had to force your eyes away from Eddie's chest when he turned around to meet you, but he caught the quick once over you did of his shirtless physique. You blushed. He smirked and quirked a brow.

"Like what you see?" You scoffed and spotted your pants on the dresser. You unfolded them to pat them clean.

"You're distracting," you said with a small smile. You tried to be as natural as you could with the comment, but Eddie was behind you suddenly and you knew he had caught onto your teasing tone. His breath hit your neck and the tendrils were already starting to creep up your leg.

You turned around and locked eyes with him.

"You have no idea what distraction looks like," he breathed and leaned in.

_Naturally, remember?_

You finally decided to cross the line with both feet.

The kiss wasn't gentle and longing like all the ones before. It was passionate, deep and filled with hunger and lust. His hands roamed up your body and found their way into your hair.

The feeling of getting one's hair pulled was not supposed to feel so... sensual. You opened your mouth and the kiss deepened.

Venom's tendrils had found their way up and around your legs. Eddie lifted you up without effort and wrapped your legs around his waist. You pulled back slightly to take a breath, but your head fell back when Eddie's mouth traced your jaw and down your neck.

He moved you two to his bed, where you lay under his form. He held himself up and off of you, his hands on either side of your shoulders. You both looked at each other for a second. There was the question again.

_You sure?_

_Yes._

You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him into another heated kiss. Your legs were spread so he could settle his weight on you. The material of his jeans rubbed against your thighs and spread goosebumps all over you. And then he ground into you.

Your back arched off the bed and into his chest. You felt a growl deep within his chest.

"Please," you whispered almost inaudibly.

This time, it was a different kind of pleading you were doing. This time, it wasn't desperate for a need of comfort. You wanted them.

You grabbed his face and held it his forehead against yours, your breaths mingling when you whispered another plead. "I _need_ you."

It was all Eddie needed to send more hot kisses down your neck and suck on a particular good spot near your shoulder. Your hands were over his back where you felt the muscles move.

Venom was also making himself known with his tendrils around your legs. They weren't tight around your legs, but the pressure was helping with building up the fire in your core.

Eddie lifted your shirt up and off of you, exposing your chest to him. His eyes roamed your curves and his mouth finally descended down on one of your breasts.

The feeling of having your nipple sucked and wet by one's mouth was electrifying. Your back arched again and a soft moan escaped your lips. Eddie's eyes shot up at you at the sound. You saw Venom flicker at the edges of his eyes. The sound was a welcome one.

Eddie had one nipple in his mouth and the other in the palm of his hand, kneading it and flicking it occasionally, sending tingles up and down your body. The feeling was driving you crazy, but you wanted more. Your hands moved down his body to his waistband. You gave them a tug to make it clear what you wanted. Eddie let out a chuckle and complied.

You had already felt his erection poking your thigh through his pants, but your breath still hitched upon the reveal of his length.

He wasn't huge, but he wasn't an average one either. Your hand immediately wrapped around it, going up and down his impressive length. It was Eddie's turn to catch his breath from the sudden sensations you were giving him. His eyes locked with yours.

Before you could finish him, he grabbed your wrist and held it above your head. His mouth moved down your chest, towards your stomach down to the waistband of your underwear. In a swift motion, Venom's tendrils had snapped the material, exposing you to Eddie's hot breath.

He didn't even give you a moment to get ready for him. He propped your legs open and over his shoulders before bringing his mouth to your folds, his tongue in its depths. You gasped at the sudden wetness.

He lapped you up and sucked in your clit, rolling it around with his tongue. Your eyes rolled back.

You've never experienced that sensation before, that's for sure.

Your hand reached down and you held onto his head, slightly pushing him more against you. His teeth scratched you, inciting a painful pleasure that shot all the way up your body.

He was building up your climax, only with his mouth. You knew you would reach your peak soon, the coil tightening in your lower abdomen.

"Please," you breathed out again. Eddie's mouth worked faster, his tongue pumping inside of you. You couldn't look down at him, your eyes were closed shut.

Your climax was near.

And then Eddie pulled away, leaving you feeling empty. You let out a strained whimper. You were so close. You shot Eddie an exasperated look. Eddie chuckled and moved over you, settling himself between your legs. His length poked you and you knew he would soon be within you.

You held onto him when he slid in; slowly and tantalizing. He stretched your walls and filled you up completely. The feeling was more than you thought you could handle, since you had been so close to climaxing beforehand. You let out a breath you didn't know you had been holding.

Eddie kissed you and gave you a moment to adjust. You hadn't had sex in a while, so you had to get used to the feeling again. But Eddie made sure you make you feel perfect. He slowly pulled himself out and thrusted in again.

His pace was slow in the beginning, but because you were already so wet, he picked it up quickly and soon you were holding back screams. Your nails raked his back with pleasure. Your legs had been wrapped around his waist.

Your eyes locked with Eddie's again.

He changed the angle he was thrusting in and you felt something around your clit. Glancing down to see where your bodies met, you saw the small black tendril working at you. Your eyes fluttered closed at the joined sensation.

The coil was tightening again. Eddie was thrusting harder and faster, his face buried in the crook of your neck. You pressed your face into his shoulder and accidentally nipped at him when the feeling was getting to be too much.

And then it snapped. Your climax hit you in a big wave. Your hips bucked and your nails dug into Eddie's back. You moaned out.

Eddie's climax wasn't far behind yours. His thrusting grew irregular and then he pushed himself deeper as he emptied himself inside of you.

He didn't move himself out of you right away. You two stayed connected until your breathing had gone back to normal. You ran your hand slowly over his back, feeling his muscles twitch underneath your touch. A chuckle escaped Eddie's lips and he pressed his mouth to your temple. He breathed you in and slowly slid out of you.

His arms wrapped around you and pulled you close to him. You pulled the sheets up and over your forms.

Your bodies were still slightly slick from the sweat, but you didn't mind. This was intimacy and the afterglow was one of the parts that you never wanted to leave out; the endorphins still rushing through your bodies.

You stayed silent. Eddie ran his fingers over your arm until they reached your face. He brushed a stray strand away, but held it between his fingers as if to inspect it. Your eyes never left his face.

The man was beautiful.

A small smile spread across your features and you nuzzled your face into his chest.

"I think breakfast can wait," he said. You hummed an approval, before slowly slipping back in a morning slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof


End file.
